The Impact of Group and Individual Therapy on the Correction of Food Behavioral Reactions of Patients with Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases

Urrently, eating behavior is considered not only as a component of lifestyle aimed at satisfying physiological and psychological needs (food choices, methods of cooking and eating food choices, methods of cooking and eating, conditions and diet), but also as a significant additional risk factor for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of group and individual therapy in the correction of food behavioral reactions in patients with chronic non-communicable diseases. Material and methods. The research was conducted at the Department of Complex Risk Reduction of Chronic non-Communicable Diseases of the Government Institution “L.T. Malaya Therapy National Institute of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine”, Kharkiv, during 2016-2018. The study included 150 patients with high and very high cardiovascular risk. The first group included 75 patients who agreed to study at the School of Health "Fundamentals of Healthy Livestyle". The second group consisted of 75 patients who were offered individual counseling. The average age of patients from the cohort of group counseling was (63.68 ± 8.44) years, and the individual - (61.63 ± 10.74) years (p = 0.20). The number of men in the first group was 21 (28%), women - 54 (72%); in the second - 25 (33%) and 50 (67%) respectively. The statistical processing of the results was carried out using the package of statistical software "SPSS 21" (IBM), Microsoft Office Exel-2003. Results and discussion. We assessed the feeding behavior food behavioral reactions using a questionnaire developed by the department staff. We determined the daily consumption of salt (less than or equal to 5 g per day), vegetables and fruits (less than or equal to 500 g per day), the smoking factor (in the past and now), as well as the use of alcohol. The assessment of the attitude towards smoking showed that the absolute majority of participants at the beginning of group therapy (92% of respondents) answered no. However, the average length of smoking in men was significantly higher than in women (21 years vs. 7 years, respectively, p <0.05). Among the participants in individual therapy, the vast majority of respondents denied the fact of smoking (90.7%), 4% said that they smoke, and 5.3% smoked in the past, but got rid of it. The average length of smoking in men was also significantly higher than in women (24 years vs. 9 years, respectively, p <0.05). The analysis of another component of food behavioral reactions, namely the use of strong alcohol in moderate quantities, showed that the absolute majority of respondents in both group and individual therapy (94.7% and 92% respectively) denied the use of alcohol at present and in the past. However, the objectivity of such responses is somewhat dubious, and may be explained by the fact that for our modern society, there is no typical admission to the use of alcohol. At the same time, 82% of respondents in group therapy and 78% of participants in individual therapy confirmed the periodic use of low-alcohol beverage (beer and dry wine).